Strategies for Improving Executive Functioning in the Music Ensemble and Classroom Setting
We all do it. We start something only to get sidetracked thirty minutes later. Maybe we feel overwhelmed at the sheer number of things on our “to-do list” and just freeze up when the time comes to actually get going on it. As adults, many of us are managing multiple plates spinning in the air, all going different directions, and the constant pressure of managing it all to the best of our ability.
The same is true for most of our students. They struggle. Musically, some students can be wonderful performers. They can be very engaged in the classroom. But when it comes to tasks that involve some sort of planning, organization, and self-regulation—also known as executive functioning skills—some students can fall apart. And yet, these skills are essential for their success in music classes (and in life!).
When I think think about equity, I remind myself that in its simplest form, equity is the ability to give students what they need to be successful both in and outside of music class. And, perhaps more than anything, for students to actually be successful at music, they need to be able to manage the typical day-in, day-out tasks of school life and life outside of school.
They need proficient executive functioning skills.
But where does this fit with music education? As teachers, how can we contribute to helping students work on and improve upon these very important skills? Here are four strategies that we can do to today to help our students. Take one or two ideas for a test-drive and let me know how it goes!
Model Effective Practice Techniques at School
Too often, we tell our students to “practice more” without any real guidance about what good practice looks like. This approach alone falls short when students go home and try to practice on their own. Consider running your classes, rehearsals and sectionals much in the same way that you want students to practice on their own. Talk through the steps as you work through sections of pieces together as a group. Ask them what step comes next, and why. By doing this, students are practicing how to practice effectively on their own. The more they do this with you, the greater chance that they will take these skills home with them and use them on their own.
When I actively used this strategy with my middle school jazz band for six months straight, my students improved their practice skills so much that by the end of the year the group never struggled to get to the end of our pieces (we even added one more to the lineup!). Our system of practicing both in and out of school (the same system in both locations) was so effective that the students and I knew we would be ready for the spring concert without any issues. Talk about a feeling of relief!
Create Checklists—for EVERYTHING!
A major barrier for student success in music class is many students’ inability to organize their thoughts, their tasks, and how to execute what is being asked of them. Consider this—even the most basic tasks we give to students often involve a number of steps. For many students, this is huge source of frustration before they even get started.
Take a step back and consider all the possible steps associated with what you expect students to work through, and create a checklist to support students that would benefit from it. Have a checklist of more than 7-8 steps? Consider breaking it down into smaller chunks by creating a mini-checklist for each stage of a project or practice schedule. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to give our students the confidence they need to start something that might otherwise feel too big to manage.
Tap into Students’ Working Memory
Many students need all the reinforcements for new content knowledge and skills they can get. The more reinforcement, the more likely that whatever they are learning about will be shuffled over to longer-term memory, which is where the magic of application to future concepts and skills can begin! Put another way, if what we teach students does not make it past working memory to long-term memory - everything that you are teaching could be tossed out with tomorrow’s garbage (yikes!).
How to combat this? Use visual aids, mnemonics, graphic organizers, repetition and review as tools towards building depth within working memory. Strive to give students multiple ways to learn new information, engage and interact with it and showcase their learning. Better yet, let students collaborate with each other as they are doing this. Collaboration can supercharge almost anything!
Foster Student Self-Awareness
Students who are self-aware of their own strengths and limitations are much more likely to take appropriate actions that will help set themselves up for success in and outside of school. Consider building in opportunities during music class (at the beginning, middle and end!) where students can check-in with themselves, with you, and with their peers (the collaboration “supercharge” applies here as well).
Open-ended exit tickets are one way to do this, but purposeful questions that foster more targeted and deeper reflection (while providing you with some valuable intel!) are often more effective in building student self-awareness as they work towards managing and acting upon future learning experiences.
Consider using this list of class openers and closers as a tool to help get your students to reflect more strategically. Have the luxury of time on your side? Try sprinkling this in once a day. See your students once a week? Try using a reflection question every other week to get your students started. Want to do this outside of class? Consider using online reflection tools and journaling.
As with everything, give any of these ideas some time to become part of a routine that works for you and your students. Tweak them and make them your own. Like I always say, if it’s not practical, you won’t do it.
Cheers to you and all the amazing things you do!
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